By A. Moore, RN
As a travel nurse, one of the many things I have seen over my years of traveling is people who are so excited to get to a new assignment, but when they get there they have no idea what to do. A city may sound fascinating and exciting, but if you can’t find fun activities that suit your lifestyle and interests, it may turn into an assignment that’s less than enjoyable.
Looking back, there have been so many things I wish I could have seen and experienced while I was living in a certain city—and I’m not going to let that happen to you. Here are some surefire ways to discover what your new city of residence has to offer you.
The first thing I like to do when I’m heading to a new destination is to contact the city’s tourism office. Most tourism offices will send you flyers and pamphlets about all the interesting activities and attractions they have offer to visitors. With the boom of the Internet and advertising, almost all major cities have a Web site that offers links to recreational activities for all ages, along with local restaurants, hotels and attractions.
Speaking of the Internet, don’t forget about using search engines. You’d be surprised at what will pop up if you just type in a city name and an activity you like. I was “Googling” one night and found out I was housed just a few blocks away from where Edgar Allen Poe was buried. It was one of the weirdest but also coolest things I ever saw while traveling.
The next thing you should think about is you! So often people get caught up looking for the big attractions and forget about the obvious things they enjoy doing, no matter where they’re living. There have been many times when I been so focused on seeing the theme parks in a city that I forgot to check out the local wineries my wife and I love to visit. Remember—you have three months to see everything so there is no need to cram it all into one week. Mix the theme parks and tourist traps with some local sights that appeal to your unique interests and personality.
Are you a sports nut? Why not check out some local teams. I have found that just because you don’t follow a team religiously doesn’t mean catching a local game isn’t as enjoyable. I still can’t help but watch games being played at stadiums I once visited.
Maybe restaurants are your thing. I always enjoy checking out new restaurants and sampling new food I’d never tried before. Don’t forget your old favorites as well. Each city puts a new twist on foods that may seem otherwise normal to you. I'll never forget how surprised I was when I stopped at a local chain taco shop in San Diego expecting the regular burrito and was shocked to discover what is still one of my favorite foods today—the fish taco.
There are so many resources you can use when checking out a new city. Of all the things I have mentioned I saved the best for last—the people. This is truly your best resource to finding awesome things to do and see. No one knows a city better than the locals. Ask everyone—the apartment manager when you check in, the nurse who orients you on your first day, even the local gas station attendant can help you find great things to do in your new home away from home.
So no matter where you're going, don’t forget these simple steps to scoping out your new city. Check with local tourist agencies and city Web sites for the traditional things to do and see. Try a lot of Internet searches; you never know what you’ll find out about your new hometown. Remember to take your hobbies on the road with you and you’ll never run out of things to do and be sure to utilize the locals. The people who have lived in a place longer than you always have interesting ideas about what to see outside the local tourist traps. Most of all, just have fun and relax, after all that is what travel nursing is about.
© 2009. AMN Healthcare, Inc. All Rights Reserved.